Police release surveillance images of Dollar General murder suspect

ST. LOUIS – As St. Louis police release surveillance images of the gunman in Thursday’s fatal shooting at a north city Dollar General store, the victim’s mother says her son was the kind of person who’d give you the shirt right off his back.

Renee Carter says her son, 42-year-old Robert Woods, loved to help people. She’s heartbroken by his murder and has a message for his killer.

"We just trying to figure out what, why, what was the reason?” she said. “You know, you come in, you're telling everybody this is a hold-up but you don't rob nobody.”

Investigators said the suspect attempted to conceal his identity with sunglasses and a hoodie inside the store.

Carter said her son had only been working at the Dollar General for a couple of months when he was gunned down.

According to police, the suspect came into the store, announced a robbery, and just started shooting randomly. Woods was wounded and pronounced dead at the scene. The shooter ran away.

Carter said her son had battled drug problems several years ago but had turned his life around. He volunteered with the Salvation Army, ministering and counseling recovering drug addicts.

Carter said her family wants answers and justice for Woods.

"Turn yourself in so you won't hurt nobody else,” she said. “Get yourself together, because I know you didn't have a clear conscience doing what you did."

Woods was actually covering another worker's shift when he was shot and killed.

The store where this happened has seen its share of problems. Police said this Dollar General store has been robbed eight times since January 2014.